Slow Cooker Pepperoni Pasta Bake
Slow Cooker Pepperoni Pasta Bake
Ingredients
- 150 g pepperoni slices, halved
- 3 garlic cloves finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 700 g passata
- 2 tablespoons Italian herbs dried
- 1 cup beef stock
- 1/4 cup basil fresh, roughly chopped
To add later:
- 350 g penne pasta
- 1.5 cups beef stock for pasta
- 1 cup tasty cheese grated
- 100 g mozzarella cheese sliced
Instructions
- To the slow cooker, add pepperoni, garlic, tomato paste, passata, Italian herbs, 1 cup beef stock, and basil. Stir well to combine.
- Cover and cook on high for 2.5–3 hours, until the sauce is rich and fragrant.
- In the final 30 minutes of cooking, stir in the penne pasta and additional 1 cup of beef stock. Mix well to coat the pasta and ensure it’s mostly submerged. Stir once or twice during this time to prevent sticking.
- Once the pasta is tender, scatter over grated cheese then add some fresh basil and mozzarella slices. Replace the lid for 10–15 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Notes
- Freezer-friendly: Cool completely, then portion into containers and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight and reheat gently with a splash of stock or water.
- Dump bag-friendly: Add all ingredients except pasta, extra stock, and cheeses to a large zip-lock bag and freeze flat. Defrost overnight and follow instructions from step two.
- Oven-friendly: In a Dutch oven, sauté garlic and lightly fry pepperoni. Stir through tomato paste, passata, herbs, stock, and basil. Cover and bake at 160°C for 1 hour. Stir in pasta and extra stock, then bake uncovered for a further 25–30 minutes. Top with cheese and bake for another 10 minutes until golden and gooey.
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